Amateur-built DHC-6-200 accident near Honolulu, Hawaii, March 16, 1995
On March 16, 1995 at about 1:15 pm local time, a amateur-built DHC-6-200, registered N37ST, was destroyed in an accident near Honolulu, Hawaii. It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Intentional ditching due to the flightcrew's failure to properly manage the fuel system, and operation of the airplane in an excessively overweight condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 1995 · about 1:15 pm local time
- Place
- Honolulu, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC-6-200
- Registration
- N37ST · registry record · serial 207
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED OVERWEIGHT FOR A 17-HOUR FERRY FLIGHT. EARLY IN THE FLIGHT THE CREW EXPERIENCED SOME FUEL PROBLEMS AND DECIDED TO CONTINUE WHEN THEY RESOLVED THE PROBLEM. THE CREW INDICATED THE EN ROUTE WINDS WERE CLOSE TO FORECAST. THE FERRY FUEL SYSTEM IS A SIMPLE 5-TANK GRAVITY FUEL FEED INTO THE FORE AND AFT MAIN TANKS. ABOUT 6 HOURS FROM DESTINATION, THEY REALIZED THE FERRY TANKS WERE NOT FLOWING INTO THE MAIN TANKS AS PLANNED. THEY BEGAN MANUALLY TRANSFERRING FUEL FROM THE REAR FERRY TANK TO THE FORWARD FERRY TANK, AND SHUT DOWN THE RIGHT ENGINE TO REDUCE FUEL CONSUMPTION. THIS DID NOT STOP THE NEGATIVE FUEL FLOW FROM THE MAIN TANKS. AT THE TIME OF DITCHING, THE CREW ESTIMATED THE FUEL REMAINING IN THE FERRY TANKS WAS ABOUT 170 GALLONS, MOST OF WHICH WAS IN THE 3 AFT FERRY TANKS. AN AERO ENGINEER CALCULATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT LEAST 10 INCHES BEHIND THE MAXIMUM AFT CG AT THE TIME OF DITCHING, AND SUGGESTED THAT THE FERRY FUEL SYSTEM WAS NOT MANAGED TO MAINTAIN THE CG WITHIN THE ALLOWABLE LIMITS, A TASK MADE MORE DIFFICULT WITH THE REAR FUSELAGE CARGO.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 11,579 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT-6 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OAK Oakland CA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: HON HI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.